Voluntary Imprisonment
A BASTARD!! Fanfic by
David A. Tatum

Chronological Notes (for those who don't read author's notes):  This story
starts some time after Episode 06 of the series (which I believe is the
end).  I also hope it can be assumed long enough after that episode that
the various wars have ended...

Author's Notes:  Okay, I'm working on Three Souls, One Heart, Patlabor:
Personal Files, a couple of Kenshin fanfics which have yet to see the light
of day, a novel for a creative writing class, and one more fanfic currently
known as '8ball's Fanfic' (LONG explanation there), and I want to write
something ELSE?  Well, this one is just a one-shot that shouldn't take more
than an hour to write, at least, but still... well, when the muse strikes,
as the saying goes.

Ah, well... enjoy...
-------------------------

Arshes Nei sighed.  Why was she torturing herself like this?  Why did she
stay standing outside the door, where she couldn't help overhearing the
moan of her beloved Darsh- Dark Schneider- as he cried out his newest
woman's name: "Yoko... Yoooko!"

She wondered if she should be grateful.  After all, he'd only found two new
women since he'd been revived, and this was the first time he'd consumated
with one.  In his last life, in the amount of time that he had been back,
he'd have found four or five.

It never really affected her this way before.  She'd always accepted him
back, every time, no matter what.  She always knew that, despite all the
other women, he still cared for her more than any of them.  He loved her-
he had for over a hundred years- and the other women were all dalliances.

This time, though, she wasn't so sure his love for her was greater than
what he felt for the woman.  He appeared rather... attached... to this
Yoko.  In fact, the way he cared for the woman and protected her, it
appeared as if he might actually... love her.

A comforting hand grasped her shoulder.  "Don't be sad, Arshes.  The battle
between you two showed that he still loves you as much as he ever did."

"Does he, indeed?" she said, turning to face the High Priest Geo.  "Perhaps
so, but he certainly seems to care for that daughter of yours more than he
does for most of the women.  I feel as if she's... replacing me."

Geo shook his head, smiling.  "You have to remember he's not just Dark
Schneider any more... he's also the boy who was raised alongside Yoko for
fifteen years, Rushe.  Rushe grew to love her, and what Rushe loves, he
loves.  But Rushe's feelings do not destroy his own.  He probably loves
both of you equally."

Arshes raised an eyebrow.  "And the princess?"

The high priest smirked.  "I suspect she would never betray her friendship
with Yoko, but if she did I don't think Dark Schneider will feel anything
more for her than he would for any of the hundreds of women before her. 
And I suspect that Rushe's... er, taming influence will keep him from doing
anything with her outside of flirting or light perversions.  Rushe wouldn't
want him to be unfaithful to you and Yoko."

His words weren't exactly comforting, but that was probably because of Dark
Schneider's cries of passion from across the hall.  "Can we go somewhere
quieter?"

Geo smirked.  "Certainly.  I assume you have some questions for me?  Or are
you just asking me to suggest somewhere where you won't have to deal with
those two?"

Arshes blushed slightly as a particularly loud moan punctuated the high
priests question.  "Well, I suppose the real reason is that I don't want to
deal with them, but I would like to ask you something."

"Certainly," Geo said, leading her down the hallway to an empty mess hall.

"Why are you letting them do this?" Arshes asked.  "I thought Yoko's
chastity was your only means of 'controlling' him."

"Do you really think I could STOP him?  Not anymore.  Besides... Yoko was
part of how I controlled him last time, and my powers were shredded to the
mediocre level they are now by the spell I used."

Arshes sighed.  "How DID you stop him last time, anyway?  All any of us
ever heard was that you defeated him in battle."

"Um... well, that's the OTHER reason I'm not stopping them now.  See, I was
just barely the match of any one of what we referred to as the FIVE Lords
of Havoc, and I would likely have to destroy myself to defeat just one of
you..."

*	*	*	*	*

Fifteen years earlier....

"...against Abigail!  He's the most insane and unreasonable of the Five
Lords!" one of the King's advisors shouted.  Many were gathered to debate
the target they should send their most powerful weapon against.

"Nonsense!  He might be the most insane and unreasonable, but he's also the
weakest!" another intervened.  "Geo can only take down one of them, and
that should be the most powerful of them all- Dark Schneider!"

"Gara brings the largest and most effective army with him- he is the one to
destroy!  With him gone, their army's effectiveness is decreased by half,"
the General who captained most of the footsoldiers argued.

"The armies themselves we can handle easily.  It is the leaders that must
be defeated," one of the Knights advised.  "If we destroy Arshes, Dark
Schneider will lose his heart and may give up fighting.  That would be
taking two of them down for the price of one."

"Enough," the King demanded.  "I have heard many suggestions tonight.  Dark
Schneider is the most powerful, and holds the position of leadership among
the Five Lords.  Lall is a complete unknown- his powers have yet to be
seen.  Arshes' destruction may either cause them to lose heart, or to fight
with the rage of vengeance.  Gara is the trickiest, subtlest, and likely
most intelligent of the five.  Geo may survive a battle with Abigail with
enough strength remaining to recover and match another.  All these are
powerful arguments, and perhaps any of these positions makes sense.  But
realize, just taking out one of them will not halt them forever, and may
not even slow them.  Even taking out two of them will mean nothing.  No,
whatever we do, we lose.  I say we strike whoever is most likely to lead
the assault against us.  That will cause confusion among our enemies, and
may delay the final attack for some time."

"That would be Arshes or Dark Schneider," the General commented.

Geo, standing behind the King, nodded.  "And fighting Arshes would likely
mean I would have to face both of them at once- which is totally beyond my
abilities."

The King nodded.  "So it is decided- Geo, I command you to seek out and
destroy Dark Schneider."

Geo nodded, but then hesitated.  "My liege, I have another option you might
want to consider...."

*	*	*	*	*

The battle was fierce.  Geo had challenged Dark Schneider to single combat,
and the magic used between the two of them had devastated the countryside. 
The high priest was being rather defensive during the combat, waiting for
the taunting to begin.

"Why do you bother to stand against me?" Dark Schneider asked.  "This
battle is rather boring, and there is no way you can destroy me."

"No?  I can, in fact.  I know of your ability to revive, but I can utterly
destroy you if I wish.  The spell to do it would be suicide, however.  I
would rather try and make a deal with you, if I may."

Dark Schneider laughed, holding his hands up to signify he was willing to
listen.  "And what might that deal be?"

Geo smiled.  If he could get this man talking, then he could get him to
agree.  "Dark Schneider, how old are you?"

He snorted.  "I've been around since before the old world ended."

"And in all that time, how many women have you... been with?"

"Hundreds- no, thousands.  I'm not sure, I haven't kept count."

Geo was a little stunned.  He wasn't expecting Dark Schneider to be quite
so... matter-of-fact about it.  "That's... impressive.  With all those
lovers, have you never sired a child?"

Dark Schneider blinked.  "Um, no.  I haven't found a woman I want to have
children with.  Well, I have, but she is barren- half elves, I have
discovered, cannot have children."

"Hmm... if I can find a woman who you may one day wish to bear children by,
will you stop fighting us?"

"I... I have never considered having children before- why would I now?"

Geo laughed.  "Of course you have- otherwise, why would you have mentioned
that half-elves are barren?"  His eyes narrowed.  "Now, why haven't you
sired a child with any of those other women?  Why is only the barren one
the one you want a child by?"

"Because... because I love her," Dark Schneider admitted.

Geo smiled- he had won.  "I have two choices in this battle- I can destroy
you, or I can cast a different spell which will restrain you, seal you in
another's body, and give you a way to love another girl enough to bear a
child without having to give up your love for Arshes.  Your seal will be
broken either when it comes time for you to consumate your relationship, or
when we call you ourselves."

"Hmm, this intrigues me," Dark Schneider considered.  "Who is the girl, and
what is the spell?"

"Her name is Yoko.  She is my daughter.  Right now, she's only two, but the
spell will make you about her age as well..."

*	*	*	*	*

The Present....

"...And, much to my surprise," Geo was saying, "He agreed.  He even knew I
was trying to trick him by putting his old personality to sleep, but he
allowed it.  I had to threaten him a few more times with my suicide attack-
which I am no longer sure would have worked- but he almost seemed...
anxious... to be able to live his youth over again...."

"So he knew about Yoko from the beginning, eh?" Arshes sighed.

"Sort of- he knew she and he would be raised together as if they were
arranged to be married."  Geo shook his head.  "He wanted children... I
think he wanted you to have sisters, as well..."

"So he wanted a woman who could do for him the one thing I couldn't..."

"Basically.  But he wanted to do it in such a way he could give you his
love, and have a child by another woman he loved just as much- and Yoko and
Rushe could fill that role."

Arshes smiled.  "It was probably just a whim of his- he adopted me on a
whim, launched a campaign of world conquest on a whim, and very likely
decided to have a son on a whim." She sighed.  "I guess that I should have
expected as much..." she said as she started to leave- she didn't know
where she wanted to go, but she wanted to find somewhere... else to be.

"Wait!" Geo shouted.  Arshes stopped, but did not turn around.  "Think of
it this way- he's immortal.  You're immortal.  My daughter, however, is
quite mortal- you will be around long after she's gone."

Arshes nodded.  "I know... and that is the only reason I can stand this." 
With that, she left.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee
                             desaix@sysnet.net
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